Machine for rolling up reinforcing mats and similar wire grids and nets



Sept. 28, 1965 E. RAMSTEIN MACHINE FOR ROLLING UP REINFORCING MATS ANDSIMILAR WIRE GRIDS AND NETS '2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 26, 1962 Sept.28, 1965 E. RAMSTEIN 3,208,634

MACHINE FOR ROLLING UP REINFORCING MATS AND SIMILAR WIRE GRIDS AND NETS2 SheetsSheet 2 Filed July 26, 1962 United States Patent 3,208,684MACHINE FOR ROLLING UP REINFORCING AND SIMILAR WIRE GRIDS AND T ErichRamstein, Wettingen, Switzerland, assignor to H. A. Schlatter A.G.,Zurich, Switzerland Filed July 26, 1962, Ser. No. 212,631 Claimspriority, application Switzerland, July 28, 1961, 8,890/ 61 9 Claims.(Cl. 242-671) This invention relates to a machine for rolling up wiregrids and nets and more particularly to a machine for rolling ofsport-welded metal reinforcing mats.

Whenever the term mat is used in this specification it is to beunderstood as comprising wire grids, nets and similar metal structuresas well. Machines for rolling up metal reinforcing mats are usuallycombined with machines for producing the spot-welded mats in order to beable to roll up each mat immediately after the longitudinal andtransverse wires have been welded together, winding it into a roll sothat it may be easily carried away.

The machines which are presently used for this purpose have a windingdrum or mandrel which extends over the entire width of the mat. In orderto pull off the mat from this drum, the strong frictional resistancebetween the innermost turn or coil of the mat and the drum must beovercome, which necessitates a correspondingly powerful and heavyextruding mechanism. If the mat is very wide such a machine requires alot of wax space.

In the past a winding drum which is divided in the middle has been usedin such machines. The mat is removed in that case by pulling both partsof the drum laterally out of the mat roll. But such a construction doesnot reduce the work necessary for separating the roll from the drum northe room necessary for setting up and operating the machine.

The winding machine according to this invention comprises twocylindrical winding mandrels or cores which each receive and support oneof the forward side edges of the mat or other flat metal object to berolled up. The winding cores are arranged coaxially in spacedrelationship, and each is rotatable by suitable means at the end remotefrom the opposite winding core. Driving means of conventional form, suchas an electric motor are provided for at least one of the winding coresand a rotatable pressure roller is resiliently biased against the twowinding cores. Two parallel support walls are mounted adjacent thedriven end of each core and are adjustable to the width of the mat to berolled. Each support wall has an opening which is adapted to thediameter of the winding cores and coaxial therewith. Means are alsoprovided for moving the winding cores relative to each other in an axialdirection.

According to a preferred embodiment of the machine of this inventioneach of the winding c'ores has a slot for receiving the forward sideedge of the mat to be rolled up. A supporting table for the mat isadapted .to slide the mat forward and insert the front end into theslots of the winding cores. The pressure roller and the particulardirection of rotation of the winding cores contribute in bending thefront side portions which are received in the slots into sharply benthooks. These hooks connect the mat securely to the winding cores so thatit is carired along during rotation of the cores without requiring afastening of the front end of the mat to the cores, eliminating thusalso the need to release any such fastening means at the end of thewinding operation. Because of the fact that only the edge portions ofthe mat are secured in the slots, the frictional force to be overcome inpulling the rolled mat ofi the cores at the end of the winding operationis increased only slightly. Moreover the machine is adapted to processmats of different widths as well as of different intervals between thelongitudinal and transverse wires or bars.

It is therefore an object of the invention to construct a machine forrolling up metal mats in which the coil or roll formed of the mat may beremoved in its rolled-up state in a simple manner by the application ofa small force and in a relatively small area.

These and other objects and features of the invention will becomeapparent upon reading the specific description of the invention inconnection with the accompanying drawing which forms part of thespecification and which illustrates, my way of example only, anembodiment of the invention. In the drawing:

FIG. l is an elevation view of-a winding machine according to theinvention.

FIG. 2 is a section of the machine along line 11-11 of FIG. 1, showing amat in position to be rolled up.

FIG. 3 is a detail view of FIG. 2 showing the mat dur ing the winding ofthe first turn or coil.-

Referring now particularly to the drawings, the machine illustrated hastwo cores or mandrels 1 and 1', arranged coaxially and spaced apredetermined distance from each other. Each core has an axial slot '11for receiving the front portion of one of the longitudinal edges of themat to be rolled up. Each core 1, 1 is rotatably supported in aconventional manner in posts or stands 2, 2 respectively. These postsmay be moved horizontally in the direction of the common axis of thecores 1, 1' by means of rollers 21, 21' secured to the base 3 of themachine or to the posts and may travel along rails 31, 31' of the base.

A spindle shaft 32 is arranged in the base 3 of the machine and its endsare provided with threaded portions 321 and 321 respectively which arethreaded in opposite directions. A lug 22 has an inner thread forreceiving the threaded portion 321, and this lug 22 is connected to thepost 2 of the machine. A corresponding lug 22 is provided for threadedportion 221 and is connected to post 2'.

Two walls 4 and 4' are releasably secured to the base 3 of the machinefor movement axially of the Winding cores and strengthened by props 42,42', and the distance between these walls is adjustable to the width ofthe mat to be rolled up. For example wall 4 is provided with a circularopening 41 through which core 1 extends. The diameter of the open-ing ischosen in such a manner that gap between core 1 and the edge of opening41 is smaller than the thickness of the mat or the radial section of aturn thereof when wound on the core during rolling of the mat. The propsmay be secured to the base 'by suitable means such as by screw bolts 64which extend into rails 65 set into the floor. This arrangement issuitable for a manual adjustment of the walls.

The mat winding machine has a carriage device 5 which advances the matto be rolled up and presses it against the cores 1, 1', or against thepartly wound mat roll. This carriage 5 comprises a feeding table 51carried by support plates 52, 52', and a freely rotatable cylinder 53mounted in plates 52 and 5-2 for pressing the mat against the cores 1,1'. The axis of cores 1, 1' and the axis of cylinder 53 he in a commonhorizontal plane above the work-ing plane of the supporting table 51.The surface plane of table 51 coincides wit-h a tangential plane ofpressure cylinder 53, and its distance from the axis of cores 1, 1 isequal to the distance of the slots 11 from the axis, as best seen inFIG. 2.

The support plates 52, 52' may be moved horizontally by means of rollers54, 54' travelling in guide rails 55, 55. These plates are urged in thedirection of the cores 1, 1 by conventional resilient biasing means, forexample by a hydraulically operated cylinder-piston unit 58. The

piston of the cylinder is connected to the push r-ods 56. The rails 55,55' are supported by upright columns 57, 57.

The two cores 1, 1' are rotated synchronously in the direction of arrow12 by conventional driving means as by an electric motor 63 for eachcore in such a way that slots 1-1 of core 1 and the corresponding slot11 of core 1' are parallel to each other at all times during the windingoperation. Each motor is connected over a V belt 62 to a reduction gear61 associated with one of the cores. Synchronism can be achieved in aknown manner during winding either by employing for that purpose one oftwo synchronous motors (not shown) or by means of a shaft with two gears(not shown) mounted parallel to spindle 32, the gears being movable onthe shaft and capable of driving cores 1 and 1' respectively. When themat to be rolled is narrow and sufficiently rigid only one of the cores1, 1 need be driven while the other is allowed to idle.

It a flat, flexible metal member, such as a spot-welded mat 6 is to berolled up, the slots 1-1 are put into a horizontal position as shown inFIG. 2 facing the mat by suitably turning the cores 1, 1. The mat isadvanced on table 51 and theforward portion of its side edge is insertedinto the slot 11, on the right side, and in the same manner on the leftside relative to the slot 11 in core 1' (see FIG. 2). Thereupon thedriving means are actuated to rotate both cores 1, 1' in the directionof arrow 12. w

-As may be seen from FIG. 3, this produces a bend in the front part ofthe longitudinal edges forming thus a hooked portion located in theslots 11 and providing such a secure connection with the cores 1, 1'that it is able to transmit a pull on the mat 6 sufficient to roll itup. Each core member thus receives on its periphery a portion of thelongitudinal edge of the mat. The roller 53 is essential first forproducing the hooked portions, thereafter for urging the first turnagainst the cores 1, 1' and for supporting the part of the mat whichextends between the cores 1 and 1. It is essential that already in thisphase of the operation the mat is bent around the roller 53 and isthereby made rigid so that it will not bend in between the cores. Whilethe subsequent turns are wound, roller 53 pushes the mat 6 tightlyagainst the previously formed coil.

In order to secure the for-ward side edges of the mat to the cores 1, 1so that they do not slide out during the winding of the mat, they mustform a hook bent at an acute angle. Right angle hooks would be prone topull out of the slots 11 under the stress of the longitudinal wires whenthe first coil is being rolled. Due to the stiffness of the longitudinalwires it has been found necessary to push the mat 6 against the cores 1,1' while the hooks are being formed.

Such acute angle hooks which stay reliably in the slots 11 are producedby the above described arrangement of the parts 1, 1', 11, 51, 53 inconnection with the rotation of the cores in the direction of arrow 12.Another essential feature of the arrangement is the guiding of the matbetween the cores 1, 1' and the roller 53 already from the start of therotation, whereby it is prevented from pulling out of the slots 11 whilethe hooks are not yet completely formed.

If relatively narrow mats are to be rolled up it is sufiicient to driveonly one of the two cores 1, 1' while the other may rotate freely. Dueto its stiffness the roll itself is able to transmit the torque from theconnected side to the freely rotatable core. To handle wide mats bothcores are driven simultaneously in such a Way that the slots 11 of bothcores are always lying in a common plane. The mat is not rolled up overits entire width on winding cores but only the lateral ends are held andsuported by the cores 1, 1'. The stiffness of the mat and of its hookedfront portion, the carrying capacity of the first coil and later of thepartly formed mat roll are useful in forming the subsequent coils.

After the entire mat has been rolled up the posts 2 and 2' are movedaway from each other by turning the spindle shaft 32. This causes thecores 1, 1' to be withdrawn from the mat roll, the walls 4, 4' retainingand stripping the mat roll off the cores. The friction is relativelysmall because each of the cores 1, 1' extends only over a portion of theroll formed from the rein forcing mat. The path over which the posts 2,2' are moved during this operation corresponds to the width of the twoside edge portions which are located on the core members. The spacerequired for releasing the finished mat roll is correspondingly small.Accordingly the time required for taking the rolled mat from the coresis similarly shortened in the case of a machine of this inventioncompared to a machine in which the rolled-up mat must be pulled off awinding mandrel which extends over the entire width of the mat.

The length of the pressure roller 53 may be adapted to the size of thewidest reinforcing mats to be rolled up. In the case of the widest matsthe walls 4, 4 are provided with slots through which the roller 53 mayadvance if the walls are adjusted to a smaller winding width. In thatcase the posts 2, 2' are to be so constructed that they do not projectbeyond the periphery of the winding cores 1, 1, as seen in FIGURES 2 and3.

As many apparently different embodiments of this invention may be madewithout departing from the scope and spirit thereof, it is to beunderstood that the inventionis not limited to the specific embodimentsthereof except as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A machine for rolling up flat metal bodies comprising in combinationa base,

a pair of spaced upright support members movably mounted on said base,

operating means connected to said base and engaging said upright supportmembers for movement relative to each other on said base,

a pair of walls releasably secured to said base and extending adjacentthe inner face of said upright support members,

a winding core rotatably mounted on each upright support member,

said winding cores having a slot for receiving a forward side portion ofa flat metal body,

said walls having an opening for receiving said winding cores,

said opening having a diameter not greater than the combined diameter ofsaid winding core and the flat metal body,

spaced elongate support means mounted at one side of said winding coresand movable relative to said winding cores,

support means for the flat metal body mounted on said elongate supportmeans,

elongate pressure means arranged parallel to said winding cores andmounted on said elongate support means for engaging said winding cores,

and means for resiliently biasing said elongate pressure means againstsaid winding cores.

2. In a machine for rolling up flat metal bodies,

the combination of spaced rotatable core means having a slot forreceiving a forward side portion of a fiat metal body,

a pair of upright supports for said core means, at least one of saidupright supports being movable axially of said core means,

wall means releasably secured to said base and extending upwardly abovesaid code means adjacent the inner face of said upright supports,

wall means having an opening for said core means, said opening having adiameter not greater than the combined diameter of said winding core andthe flat metal body,

support means for said flat metal body mounted movably relative to saidcore means on one side thereof for inserting said metal body into saidslots,

elongate pressure means mounted on said support means parallel to saidcore means,

and means for resiliently biasing said elongate pressure means towardsaid core means,

said wall means retaining said rolled metal body during movement of saidupright supports axially away from each other to strip said rolled metalbody from said core means.

3. A machine according to claim 1 wherein said slots in said windingcores extend parallel to the axis of said winding cores.

4. A machine according to claim 1 wherein the surface plane of saidsupport means for said metal body coincides with a tangential plane ofsaid elongate pressure member and extends the same distance from theaxis of said winding cores as the plane of said slots.

5. A machine according to claim 1 including motor means for rotatingsaid winding cores in a direction to bend said forward side portions ofsaid metal body at an acute angle.

6. A machine according to claim 1 wherein the axis of said winding coresand of said elongate pressure member extends above the surface plane ofsaid support means for said metal body and wherein the direction ofrotation of said winding cores relative to the contact line of saidelongate pressure means is from the bottom upward.

7. A machine according to claim 1 wherein said winding cores are drivenso that their slots remain in alignment during the rolling of said metalbody.

8. A machine for rolling up flat metal bodies comprising a base, a pairof spaced upright supports movably mounted on said base, lugs having athreaded bore fixed to said upright supports, a spindle shaft mounted insaid base and having two spaced threaded portions received in saidthreaded bores in said lugs, a pair of walls reelasably secured to saidbase and extending adjacent the inner face of said upright supports, acylindrical winding core rotatably mounted on each upright support, eachsaid winding cores having a slot extending parallel to its axis forreceiving the forward side edge of a flat metal body, said walls havingan opening for receiving said winding cores, said opening having adiameter less than the combined diameter of said cores and said metalbody, support columns mounted adjacent said upright supports, on oneside of said winding cores a pair of guide rails supported on saidcolumns, spaced support plates mounted on said guide rails at said oneside of said winding cores, rollers fixed to said support plates andmovably mounted on said guide rails, a platform connected to saidsupport plates and adapted to support said metal body, said platformproviding a guide plane for the flat metal body extending the samedistance from the axis of said winding cores as the plane of said slotin said winding cores and an elongate pressure roller rotatably mountedin said support plates, means biasing said support plates toward saidwinding cores whereby said pressure roller is resiliently urged againstsaid winding cores, said walls retaining the rolled metal body to stripit off said cores during movement of said upright supports away fromeach other upon rotation of said spindle shaft in a predetermineddirection.

9. A machine according to claim 8 wherein one of said threaded portionson said spindle shaft has a lefthand thread and the other has aright-hand thread whereby said upright supports are movable in oppositedirections parallel to the axis of said winding cores upon rotation ofsaid spindle shaft.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 8/54 Montgomery24278.3 X 5/60 Hoeffgen et al. 24278.1 X

FOREIGN PATENTS 806,806 12/58 Great Britain.

1. A MACHINE FOR ROLLING UP FLAT METAL BODIES COMPRISING IN COMBINATIONA BASE, A PAIR OF SPACED UPRIGHT SUPPORT MEMBERS MOVABLY MOUNTED ON SAIDBASE, OPERATING MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID BASE AND ENGAGING SAID UPRIGHTSUPPORT MEMBERS FOR MOVEMENT RELATIVE TO EACH OTHER ON SAID BASE, A PAIROF WALLS RELEASABLY SECURED TO SAID BASE AND EXTENDING ADJACENT THEINNER FACE OF SAID UPRIGHT SUPPORT MEMBERS, A WINDING CORE ROTATABLYMOUNTED ON EACH UPRIGHT SUPPORT MEMBER, SAID WINDING CORES HAVING A SLOTFOR RECEIVING A FORWARD SIDE PORTION OF A FLAT METAL BODY, SAID WALLSHAVING AN OPENING FOR RECEIVING SAID WINDING CORES, SAID OPENING HAVINGA DIAMETER NOT GREATER THAN THE COMBINED DIAMETER OF SAID WINDING COREAND THE FLAT METAL BODY, SPACED ELONGATE SUPPORT MEANS MOUNTED AT ONESIDE OF SAID WINDING CORES AND MOVABLE RELATIVE TO SAID WINDING CORES,SUPPORT MEANS FOR THE FLAT BODY MOUNTED ON SAID ELONGATE SUPPORT MEANS,ELONGATE PRESSURE MEANS ARRANGED PARALLEL TO SAID WINDING CORES ANDMOUNTED ON SAID ELONGATE SUPPORT MEANS FOR ENGAGING SAID WINDING CORES,AND MEANS FOR RESILIENTLY BIASING SAID ELONGATE PRESSURE MEANS AGAINSTSAID WINDING CORES.